Officially it was an optional day for training today but seeing as I have had very little racewalking in the past 9 days I chose to do the kickdown. I wanted to work up to some speed and thought this would be the ideal workout. I was also walking in my new orthotics for the first time.
I decided that 7 min/km pace would be an okay starting point but I was able to average 6:43/km for the first 2 km. I made a real effort to increase this for the next 2 km and achieved 6:25/km. My inexperience in this type of training session showed and I was not able to increase my speed for the next set, despite turning around to the wind behind me. I actually slipped back to 6:28/km.
I put on a sprint for the last set and averaged 6:20/km for an overall time of 51:53 and average speed of 6:28. I was happy with that.
set 1 6:43
set 2 6:25
set 3 6:28
set 4 6:20
Sunday 16 October - 2 Hour Training Walk
I had two hours to fill in Christchurch whilst Philip was in a meeting. It was immediately after lunch so I had no intention of walking fast. I started out walking around Hagley Park which was in good shape although the path had a few earthquake humps to watch out for. After a while I couldn't resist the urge to get as close to the centre of the city as possible. I was saddened to see the flowers and photographs of lost loved ones pinned to the barricade on the Bridge of Rememberance. A hotel that I stayed in a couple of years ago on business is in the process of being demolished. The Regional Council (ECAN) buildings I visited on that trip were fenced off so I wonder if they will survive. I was able to walk along Kilmore Street where the marathon used to start and finish and was pleased to see that the Town Hall and Conference Centre appeared to be not too badly damaged. Appearances can be deceiving though - I was told that a number of the buildings that seem to be okay from a distance are due to be demolished.
The backpackers hostel that we stayed in when we came down for nationals last year has been partly demolished but I was delighted that the lovely pub where we enjoyed a meal that trip survived. It appeared to be brick but I suspect now it may be veneer. There are three vacant lots full of bricks beside it where other buildings did not fare as well. It was sobering to see houses broken in the middle and the many vacant lots where demolitions have already occurred but great to see the resilience of Christchurch people.
My concentration was not on style or speed but I did complete 2 hours of racewalking which was well overdue.
Thursday 13 October - 17 km high country walk around the Clay Range
We had to drive up towards the skifield for this walk and then park the car. After only about 50m we had to take off our shoes and cross the Ryton River. It was not deep or wide but it was very cold. The walk was on a 4 wheel drive track in the hills and along a river valley. It was a lovely sunny day and I came back with traces of sunburn on my neck and arms. The highlight for me was Mystery Lake - a picturesque tarn that I could have been tempted to swim in if it had been summer. I was struck by the peace and the grandeur of the high country I would recommend these walks to others.
Wednesday 12 October - Peak Hill
This was an excellent walk to do to appreciate this district. The more you climbed up the more you could see of Lake Colleridge on one side and the Rakiaia River on the other. As you got even higher the sea became visible in the distance and of course there were the ever present snow capped mountains. The path was narrow and not easy to follow so progress was slow. We found a small rock to shelter behind out of the wind to enjoy our lunch and the excellent views. I will try to find a photograph taken from the top. The views were truly magnificent and I was so glad to have stumbled across such a great place to visit.
Tuesday 11 October - Round Hill valley walk
I had booked for us to stay at a high country station on the shores of Lake Colleridge. I found this through Google when searching for Canterbury walks. The situation was stunning with a large lake below and snow capped mountains around. The accommodation was basic and there was no television or radio reception.
We settled in then did a 1.5 hour walk around a small hill not far from our cabin. It was boggy in places and I managed to drench and dirty my brand new running shoes. The track was documented as taking 2.5 hours so it was good to know we could do it in 60% of that time. I particularly like the landscape around the back of the hill which was a delicate cover of mosses like tiny vegetable sheep.
Monday 10 October - Stony Bay - Akaroa
We started the day with a short walk to the seal colony. This was only 2.1 km but involved walking across a steep slope in a strong wind which was a challenge. I was glad of my walking pole. We saw a mother seal with two pups up on a ledge and another seal trying to get up to them. After I turned away Philip witnessed a small drama where another seal appeared to chase the would be interloper away.
We then picked up our packs and headed up the valley. This part of the walk was through a reserve and it was great to see the native bush regenerating through the gorse. The highlight was coming across a mug hanging from a branch above a stream inviting us to partake in the pure water. It tasted wonderful and even came chilled! Once again we had to climb to the top of the hill before descending back into Akaroa. I was pleased to get back to the car and head to visit my brother for dinner and a good sleep. The walk with the pack was 15.5 km in 4:53.
Sunday 9 October - Akaroa - Stony Bay
This is the first time I have walked with a pack on my back in over 20 years and it was a lot harder than I remembered. The walk began with a climb of about 500m. I wore my Garmin to get an idea of pace and heart rate but all it showed was that the pace was extremely slow (around 3 km per hour) and the heart rate never really got going (avg 92 bpm). We walked 17.5 km in around 6:23. I didn't stop the watch when we had photo stops or admired the view (they were fantastic) but did when we actually sat down. I was very pleased when we reached our cabin at the end of the day and we had the added bonus of an outdoor hot bath heated by a wood fire underneath. It did wonders for my tired limbs. There was no electricity in the hut and, together with other trampers, we listened to the rugby world cup quarter final between NZ and Argentina on Philip's small transistor radio.
